KEY SCRIPTURE: Romans 6:1 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?”

In Romans chapter six Apostle Paul through the inspiration of the Spirit teaches the church of God how to lead an overcoming life free from the control of sin.

He begins by correcting those who misunderstood what he said earlier that when sin abound grace also did much more abound. The argument was that if it was so, then should we continue sinning so grace would keep abounding?  He answered this misunderstanding in the following study.

Apostle Paul argues in verse 2 that how shall we who are dead to sin live any longer there in? The Christian died with Jesus unto sin. Sin is alive and active but through our Lord Jesus we are dead to it. How does the Christian live or apply the scriptures such that he or she would continually to live above the deceptions of sin?

In the apostles discourse he made use of certain VERBS which we have to identify and act on. They are as follows:

1. Romans 6:6 ” knowing this that our old man is crucified with Him (Christ), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin.
2. Romans 6:11 “Likewise reckon you also see yourself to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord”.
3. Romans 6:13 “Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourself to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God”.
4. Romans 6:16 “Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey his servants you are to whom you obey whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness.

In Romans 6:6 the verb or action word for our consideration is that, we must know: It means you must learn to know. Know that your old man, which was a slave to sin, is crucified with Christ. Until you know you remain in the dark. Many Christians still think that they’re ruled by the old man and are slaves to sin. Some still believe the old man is in them, in the sense that, they are half sinners and half righteous. The Bible says get the truth. Our old man was crucified with Jesus, and that the body of sin might be destroyed or rendered ineffective. This word ‘might’ is not in the permissive sense but in the causative sense. It means if the old man is crucified then the body of sin would be ineffective. You have to know this fact.

  CONFESSION

I know that my old man was crucified with Jesus so the body of sin is destroyed. I lead a crucified life as I continually remain dead to sin and alive unto God and righteousness.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Galatians 2:19 “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God”.

Apostle Paul once again reveals a truth that is an answer to the struggle for many people. In the key scripture he states that through the law he is dead to the law that he might live unto God. This statement expresses his victory over sin as a result of the weakness of the flesh.

In Romans chapter seven he reveals the great struggle of many who have not come to terms with the reality of the gospel. Apostle Paul in Romans 7 shows how sin taking advantage of the commandment or the law slew him. Romans 7:11 “for sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me”. From here he went on to state the fact that the law is holy and just but it slew him. Why did that which is holy and just made him a slave? “ The answer is` that sin was alive in him and therefore the law only exposed his weakness which has always been there.  He lamented that the good things he wanted to do, he is not able to do them, but the wrong things that he dislikes that he commits”. He further asked the following question in Romans 7:24, and finally exclaimed “O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

Are you at your wits end? The answer is in the gospel of our Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus was delivered for our offences, (Romans 4:25). This means he died for us and in our name. His death also meant the condemnation of sin in our flesh. Romans 8:3 “for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” The death of our Lord Jesus meant the destruction of the power of sin in our flesh (Romans 6:6). If you have believed in Jesus, then sin’s power through the law is, destroyed and therefore you are free. In effect your old man is dead to the law and the new man is alive unto God.

 Don’t accept the power of sin over your life. In Christ the sin question is totally answered .Jesus died not only to forgive our sins, but also to break the power of sin over our lives. .

   CONFESSION

I am crucified with Jesus. This means I am dead to the sin and it has no power over me. I now live unto God in righteousness and true Holiness.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Romans 7:25” I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin”.

Romans 8:4 “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Our key scripture is one of the amazing insights which the Apostle Paul received through the Holy Spirit. He said God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

This verse on face value may look like our fellowship with our Lord Jesus is in the sense of the devotion that may exist between us and Him. Well, this fellowship goes beyond praying to Him, It is sharing His oneness with our Lord Jesus. The scripture said this is what we have been called into or appointed to be. He begins by saying that God is faithful. His faithfulness ensures that everything that is concerned with this fellowship between us and the Son of God is established. The word fellowship has the following meaning, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse. It also means to share that which one has in anything.

In 1st Corinthians 6:17 the Holy Spirit brings forth the meaning of this word fellowship more clearly. It reads “He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit”. We have been called into oneness with the Lord Jesus Christ. This makes us partakers of whatever He the Lord is and has. This is the mystery of Christianity. It is a call to be one with Jesus Christ. This oneness is not by our efforts or making. It is purely an act of God’s grace. Something that God did through our Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 2:10 “For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory…”. Our Lord Jesus Christ through His death has brought everyone who has believed in Him into glory. That is fellowship with Him.

Apostle Paul rightly hits on this in Ephesians 3:8 as follows “Unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ”. This unsearchable riches is discovered in our oneness with Him or our fellowship with Jesus. Our key scripture assures us that God is faithful who ensures that everything within this union is enforced.                                         John chapter 15, reveals clearly our oneness or fellowship with the Lord Jesus in the parable of the Vine and the branches the father is described as, the husbandman or caretaker. He ensures that all we need to be fruitful is made available.  Dear child of God, you have every provision to live presently on this earth like our LORD JESUS. Throw away all human traditions and act on the word of God. Act in His name and the faithful Father would always honour your actions.

CONFESSIONS.

I have been called into oneness with my Lord Jesus, to manifest His power and authority to lead a victorious life .My life reveals His glory and power, conquering sin and diseases in Jesus name.

FURTHER STUDIES.

John 4:17” Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”

John 17:18 “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

A very vital part of the spiritual warfare is praying for all Christians. The enemy has the advantage when the church is divided and weak. A very strong United Church means a strong individual members.

Apostle Paul in almost all of his epistles prayed for the churches. He longed to see all the churches grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord.

The following are some of the prayer points He prayed for the churches and we could also learn from them and pray likewise for fellow believers worldwide.

1st Corinthians 1:6-8

• Pray that the testimony of Christ may be confirmed in the brethren.
• Pray that the Christians come behind in no gift as they wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Pray that they would be blameless at the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (that is at His coming).

Ephesians 1:15-19

• Continue to thank God for the life of all saints.
• Ask that our Heavenly Father will give unto the saints the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
• Pray that their eyes of understanding would be flooded with light, that they may know what the hope of their calling is.
• Pray that they may also know what is the riches of the glory of Christ’s inheritance in the saints.
• Pray that they may also know the exceeding greatness of His power to them which believe, which is according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.

Ephesians 3:14-19

• Pray that God would, out of His riches of His glory, strengthen all believers with might by His Spirit in the inner man.
• Pray that Christ will dwell in their hearts by faith
• Pray that they would be rooted and grounded in love.
• Pray that they would comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height of the love of God.
• Pray that they would know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that they would be filled with all the fullness of God

Philippians 1:9-11

• Pray that the love of Christians would abound more and more.
• Pray that their love will also abound in knowledge and in all judgement.
• Pray that they may approve of things that are excellent.
• Pray that they may be sincere and live without offence till the day of Christ.
• Pray that they would be filled with the fruits of righteousness through our Lord Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God.

The above prayer points are some of the prayer points we could be praying for fellow Christians and ourselves as well. These are scriptural and are of the Spirit. The need to pray for fellow believers is very necessary in these last days that Satan had vomited every kind of unclean thing to deceive and to defile.

PRAYER

I pray the spirit of the Lord will stir in the hearts of all believers a strong desire to intercede for one another and to do it scripturally in the name of the Lord Jesus I have prayed. Amen.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Colossians 1:9 ” For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”

Colossians 1:11 “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

In the part “b” of the key scripture the apostle admonishes all believers to maintain a habit of praying for all Christians. He says, they must watch there unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

The church is a body of believers. We form a mighty army fighting on behalf of our master on the earth to manifest His glory by bearing fruits of righteousness and saving souls for heaven. The church is not only the congregation you belong to. It is the body of all believers in Jesus our Lord worldwide. Satanic onslaught is against the church as a whole. As much as he attacks individuals his prime motive is to weaken the bigger body so it will not be effective in its core mandate.

When you realise believers are not passionate about winning the lost, then there is a need for persistent prayers for the church. When various denominations compete with each other about how big their congregations are, or how big their church building is, then there is a great need for intercession. It becomes more serious when the church becomes lukewarm, Christian’s are worldlier and a desire for a holy life is very remote to a number of Christians.

The call to be watchful, that is stay up and not to sleep so you would pray for the church is very vital. He said we must persevere in our prayers for the saints. Why persevere? Because it is one of the areas the devil fears so much, when Christians start praying for one another. Most believers have become so selfish.’ It is me and my church or worse still me and my family.’

Dear child of God, God our Father does not see His body as a divided people, but one body. It is we men who see ourselves as different groupings. Before God, it is one big body. The need for a strong, body committed to its call mandate is very necessary. The Lord desires that the church would be a ready bride that is awaiting His coming without spot or wrinkle. Stop looking down on other denominations. Stop saying this or that church is weak. That so called weak church, is that one big body with that weak part and needs strengthening. Make it your task to seek the Lord’s face till His fire comes upon them all, so we will have that one strong body of believers.

 PRAYER

O God our Father open our eyes to know and understand your passion for a well and strong body of saints, conquering the forces of darkness to lift high your banner in these last days. Touch our hearts to intercede for one another till we see that change you desire for your body.

FURTHER STUDIES

Ephesians 4:13” Till us all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”:

Ephesians 4:16″  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

We are instructed to pray always with all prayer in the Spirit. The word ‘in” is translated from the Greek word “EN” which could mean ‘in’, ‘by’ or ‘with’. The scripture is asking us to pray with all prayer by the ability or with the agency of the Spirit.

He asks us to pray with all prayer.

There are various kinds of prayer. These include:

1. The prayer of faith
2. The prayer of intercession
3. The prayer of supplication
4. The travailing prevailing prayer.
5. The prayer of consecration or commitment
6. The prayer of agreement
7. The prayer of praise and worship
8. United prayer

These are various kinds of prayers, having specific ways for their operations (You may refer to our series of teachings from March 2017.

We are called to pray all kinds of prayer in the Spirit or with the Spirit. According to 1st Corinthians 14:14, we pray with the Spirit by praying in tongues. Some have also explained that praying in the Spirit is praying according to the word of God. Well, whatever is done according to the word of God in faith is by or in the Spirit. Praying in tongues is a direct way to allow the Holy Spirit to voice out various requests and to touch on important areas that the natural mind cannot know or deal with.

Some people easily speak against praying in tongues because they do not understand what is said, so it does not make sense to them. This is most unfortunate. Dear child of God please get this basic principle in relating with God straight. You do not relate to God on the basis of reason or understanding. According to 1st Corinthians 1:21 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe”.  Dear child of God pray a lot in tongues for other brethren and yourself as well. The Bible has clearly stated that when a man speaks in tongues, he does not understand what he says but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. (1st Corinthians 14:2). These mysteries are matters that are hidden to the natural mind but very vital and on the right issues to be prayed on.

  PRAYER

Lord I pray for all believers that they may stand strong and fulfill their call mandates in their lifetimes. May they approve of things that are excellent and bear the fruits of righteousness unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus? In Jesus name I have prayed.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Romans 8:26 ” Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered”.

James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

In our key scripture the Holy Spirit tells us to employ prayer as a vital part of the spiritual war. He did not give any specific symbol within the armour but gives us clearly how we must approach this great act of praying.

He said prayer must be made always. Prayer is indispensable for the Christian. Prayer gives God an access to intervene in the affairs of men. Prayer creates a channel for the divine to fully impact on the natural.  In Luke 18:1 the Bible reported our Lord Jesus said the following to the disciples “And He spake a parable unto them to the end that “men ought always to pray and not to faint”. The emphasis is on praying always and not to give up.  As men we would continually have to rely on God to conquer the wicked unseen adversaries.

Our Lord Jesus kept a consistent prayer life. He was so committed to His prayers that His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. Apostle Paul wrote to the brethren in Rome and said the following “Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulations, continuing instant in prayer. Romans 12:12.

 A consistent praying Christian, will have a successful life Persistent in prayer is a sign of one’s faith in the Lord. The Lord asked after talking about the need to persist in prayer, the following question. “…. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8

One major attack of the devil on a lot of Christians is to occupy them with all kinds of concerns. They get so occupied such that they just don’t know how to maintain a consistent prayer life. The worse people are those who are so busy working for God, yet they cannot have enough time to wait in the presence of the Father. Some are so busy preaching, meeting people, counselling, visiting, yet they would not have the time to pray. Dear child of God, this is extremely dangerous. The Lord is your strength. The Lord is your guide and guard. Your main access to all these is prayer. In Mark 3:14 the Bible said “And he ordained twelve that they should be with Him and that he might send them forth to preach”.

Your calling is to first to be with the Lord, before you are sent forth to work for Him.

Don’t put the cart before the horse. It is prayer, prayer and prayer before the rest would come.

   CONFESSION

I pray always. I do not allow anything to take the place of prayer in my life. I am strengthened in my prayer, guarded and guided, all in prayer.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:17b “…. and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

The word of God exhorts us to use the sword of the Spirit as an offensive weapon against the enemy. The question is how do we effectively do this?

We must speak the word against the devil in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in the word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

 Speaking the word in His name is not a full stop to our prayer. It is also not a tradition. Using the name of the Lord when declaring the word of God against the devil was instructed by the Lord Himself John 14:13 “And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the father may be glorified in the son”. He made a very important and a strong statement here “Whatsoever” you shall ask or demand in my name; I will do it. On this occasion He is not talking about prayer. It is a command demanding a change to be effected. The Lord said, in that instant He would do it. (Note; It is a prayer if you ask the Father in Jesus name John 16:23)

Making a demand in the name of the Lord is just like the Lord Himself calling for that change to be effected.

Every child of God must study the word of God to rightly apply it in the time of need. One area that the devil will seek to attack the child of God is his mind. It is one of the prime areas of satanic attacks. The enemy may introduce images to create fear, something to get you worried, an evil thought, sinful thoughts or any thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. You must get the right scriptures to refute it and then command that devil to leave you in the name of Jesus. The scripture in 2nd Corinthians 10:4&5 says “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down every high thing or imagination that exalts itself above the knowledge of God”.

Whenever you speak the word of God against a wrong thought, the word displaces that evil word introduced into your mind by the enemy. You then command him to depart from you in the name of the Lord.

Whenever the enemy raises any attack against you, declare to him whatever God has said concerning that situation in the name of the Lord. When you do so, know that the Lord Himself comes to act on that word according to His own promise. (John 14:14) keep resisting till he leaves you.

 CONFESSION

I speak forth the word of God in the name of the Lord Jesus. As I do this miracles are wrought in His name.  Situations bow because the Lord Himself comes to act on those words.

FURTHER STUDIES.

John 14:14” If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it”.

Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:17b. Ephesians 6:17 .”….”, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”

Among the armour of God that we are commanded to use, is the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.

The word of God is not just a presentation of words but God Himself who is presented to us as words. John 1:1. Hebrews 4:12 reads “The word of God is alive (a living being) and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow.It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”. The word of God as a sword is an offensive weapon to be used to cut the enemy to size or stop him outright

It must come out from the heart through the mouth in faith. In Revelation 19:15, the Bible described a heavenly being called Faithful and True, and out of His mouth went a sharp sword….”. This being is the Lord Revelation 19:13 “And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and His name is called the word of God”.

He is called the word of God and out of His mouth proceeded the word of God, a sharp edge sword”. Every Christian must fill his heart with the word and be ready to speak it forth against the activities of the devil. God’s word is superior to every personality, condition, situation or event. It is a law that over rules every other law . All things came out of the word and so everything is subjected to the word.
The Lord Jesus did not argue with the devil in the wilderness. The Lord repeatedly said, it is written and then quoted the scripture.We must do the same always to stop the enemy.

In heaven no other word, rule or principle abides, only the word of God remains settled (Psalm 119:89). God is forever faithful to honour the word anytime it is spoken Psalm 119:90.

From our key scripture it implies anytime the Christian speaks out the word of God in faith, there is a release of a two edge sword which is the most powerful and the most sharper that any other weapon. There is absolutely nothing it can’t chop down or cut down to size. All that one needs to do is to say the word in faith. Satan and his demons cannot resist a command spoken from the word of God in faith. It is just like God making that declaration.

CONFESSION
The word of God is my sword of the Spirit. I feed my heart fully with the word and boldly declare them against the devil and His activities.No conditions prevails over the word word of God.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Matthew 4:4 ” But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”.

2 Corinthians 4:13 ” We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:17a.  And take the helmet of salvation,

Our next part of the armour to put on is the helmet of salvation. What is the helmet of salvation?

This is referring to the final salvation of the Christian. It concerns the appearing of the Lord to finally take home His people. Romans 13:11 put it this way: “And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed”. The final redemption of all believers is called SALVATION. We would be taken into the presence of the Father where all the many problems of this life shall be no more. Revelation 21:4 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”.

These things are in the future, and so we hope or we expect them to come to pass in some time to come. It is called a helmet because it protects your head from the worries of this present moment. This helmet gives protection to your head, that, no matter the difficulties, persecutions or the adversities we are assured that everything would one day come to an end. 1st Thessalonians 5:8 present this thought very clearly to us, as follows “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Every Christian must put on this helmet of salvation so that the challenges of this life will not wear you down. Every Christian who lives godly for Christ shall suffer persecutions. In some cases the persecutions are so grave that, we are tempted to give up.

Dear child of God no matter what you are facing, never give up, but put on this armour: that is the helmet of the hope of salvation. Keep hope alive. The entry of our Lord into the heavens gives us a very sure hope of His coming for us as well as a glorious life after we have left this place.

 CONFESSION

I have a glorious hope, because my Lord Jesus did not remain in the grave. He passed into the heavens and He would also come back for us. This is my hope and assurance even as the enemy raises his persecutions to any level.

FURTHER STUDIES

Hebrews 6:19-20. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Romans 5:4-5 ” And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us”.